How Much Money Has Avatar Made?

James Cameron may be disappointed that his film Avatar lost out on the Best Picture and Best Director statues at the 82nd Academy Awards in March 2010. Cameron’s ex-wife, Kathryn Bigelow, won both for The Hurt Locker. Nonetheless, it’s unlikely he’s feeling too blue about the blue creatures he created for his 3D blockbuster movie.

In fact, Cameron’s laughing all the way to the bank, with Avatar grossing $2,715,020,453 worldwide as of April 2010, and $744,275,000 for the same time period, according to Box Office Mojo.

And as if that isn’t enough, on April 15 2010, the film reached another milestone, earning over $100 million gross box office receipts at IMAX theatres internationally. According to an IMAX press release, this marks a first for the company, with Avatar ratcheting up the global IMAX box office total for the film to $228 million.

Not bad for a film that cost almost $300 million, and according to Cameron himself, took almost 15 years to make. The film also turned the entire movie-making industry on its head, with its groundbreaking new cinematic techniques.

With Avatar, Cameron holds the record for creating the highest grossing film of all time, surpassing another of his own films: 1997’s Titanic, which made $1,835,300,000 worldwide.

If Cameron wants to top his own record yet again, he’d best get started on his latest venture now. The writer/producer/director began working on Avatar shortly after he completed work on Titanic. If he starts now, we just might see another of his epic creations by 2025.

If there’s anyone who can now knock Cameron and his box office midas touch off his pedestal, perhaps it’s Peter Jackson, whose 2003 movie Lord of the Rings: Return of the King is currently the third highest grossing film of all time, raking in $1,129,219,252 worldwide.